International Media Centre
Ideal conditions for journalists to work in
While the focus at the G20 Summit in Hamburg will be on the Heads of State and Government, it is up to the around 4,800 journalists to make sure that news from the summit reaches all the corners of the world. A great deal of effort has been put into setting up the International Media Centre, which serves as their media headquarters.
The International Media Centre provides a professional working environment for journalists
Photo: Bundesregierung/Scholz
The International Media Centre is spread across four halls on the Hamburg exhibition grounds. Workstations and a restaurant are available for the press and electronic media to use, ensuring that journalists will be right on hand to report on events at the summit. According to Government Spokesman Steffen Seibert, "A summit must be transparent. There must be space for press conferences, interviews and briefing sessions so that the media can observe the meeting with a critical eye."
Some 1,000 workstations for the press
The International Media Centre has some 1,000 workstations where journalists can write their articles. There are also TV editing and radio booths for the electronic media and storage space for transmission technology. Each press workstation has a wireless LAN (WLAN) connection. Printers, photocopiers and a small number of PC workstations and ISDN lines are also available.
Journalists can follow the international newsfeed in the International Media Centre. The live footage of press conferences and other appearances by the Heads of State and Government attending the Summit will be provided by a German public broadcaster, the NDR. The press conferences will also be held in the halls on the exhibition grounds. The Heads of State and Government and their press entourage can also use the briefing rooms to pass information on to the media.
Close to 100 kilometres of cable
Some 4,800 journalists from 65 countries have accreditation for the G20 Summit in Hamburg. More than 200 rooms were fitted and furnished in the International Media Centre for them to use, mainly as offices, meeting rooms and lounge areas, as well as for TV editing. Nearly 70 kilometres of power and communication cables were laid in the International Media Centre, plus 25 kilometres of fibre optic cable.
A total of 2.5 hectares of carpet have been laid to cushion the sound of the journalists’ feet in the halls. More than 7,000 chairs and 378 wastepaper baskets have also been set up.
Around 15 tonnes of food
The culinary needs of all these journalists from across the world have not been forgotten. A total of 15 tonnes of food have been ordered. Forty-five chefs will be cooking sustainably produced and healthy meals, from dishes typical for the northern region of Germany to international cuisine.
Given the packed Summit agenda, accredited journalists will likely have little time to see the sights of Hamburg. That is why the walls in the International Media Centre have been hung with large-format photographs of Hamburg's sights, including the historic warehouse district, the Speicherstadt, and the landing bridges.
Thursday, 6 July 2017